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Updated: Jul 15, 2026
Hydra, a Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Cardiovascular Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: September 26, 2018
Diagnosis of cardiovascular disease in women
1Department of Cardiology, and Centre of Gender Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, and Karolinska Institute, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden. karin.schenck-gustafsson@ki.se
Insights
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the top cause of death, yet public awareness, especially for women, is low. Women often present with atypical symptoms and require advanced diagnostic tools for accurate detection of heart disease.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology and Public Health
- Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Disease
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary heart disease and stroke, is the primary cause of mortality in developed nations.
- A significant public misconception exists, with cancer perceived as the leading cause of death, overshadowing the prevalence of CVD, particularly in women.
- Women face a disproportionately higher risk of dying from CVD compared to breast cancer, highlighting a critical public health awareness gap.
Purpose of the Study:
- To underscore the critical need for enhanced public and medical awareness regarding cardiovascular disease in women.
- To address the diagnostic challenges and limitations associated with common tools in identifying heart disease in the female population.
- To highlight the sex-specific differences in the presentation and diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction and acute coronary syndromes.
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of existing epidemiological data on cardiovascular disease mortality.
- Analysis of sex-based differences in the clinical presentation of acute coronary syndromes.
- Evaluation of diagnostic modalities, including angiography and scintigraphy, for detecting coronary artery disease in women.
Main Results:
- Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women.
- Women frequently exhibit non-specific symptoms and are less likely to present with classic chest pain during acute cardiac events.
- Angiography often reveals normal or non-obstructive coronary artery disease in women, whereas scintigraphy demonstrates improved detection rates.
Conclusions:
- There is an urgent necessity to elevate public awareness concerning coronary heart disease risks and manifestations in women.
- Current diagnostic tools have limitations in accurately identifying CVD in women, necessitating the consideration of alternative or supplementary methods like scintigraphy.
- Addressing the disparity in awareness and improving diagnostic strategies are crucial for reducing CVD mortality in women.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD, comprising coronary heart disease and stroke) is the leading cause of death in both sexes in developed countries. Although women are nine times more likely to die from CVD than they are from breast cancer, there is a general public belief that the most common cause of death is cancer. The symptoms of acute myocardial infarction and acute coronary syndromes differ between the sexes. Women are less likely to experience chest pain and may have non-specific symptoms. Normal or non-obstructive coronary disease, as detected by angiography, is more common in women. Scintigraphy improves the detection of coronary disease in women. There is an urgent need to increase awareness of both coronary heart disease in women and the limitations of commonly used diagnostic tools.
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